The second week of the explosive Texas Senate impeachment trial of Attorney General Ken Paxton is underway. And the trial may not last much longer, according to the man presiding over the proceedings.
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said each side has so far used about half its allotted time for arguments and that the case could go to the jury later this week. Patrick also said there will be no more days off until the trial is resolved, raising the possibility that a decision could come over the weekend.
The first week of the proceedings wrapped up with more whistleblower testimony on the stand. Present on Friday for the brunt of questioning was Former AG Office Director of Law Enforcement David Maxwell.
In one of this biggest claims of the day, Maxwell says he was fired by Paxton after refusing to participate in aiding political donor Nate Paul.
"In effect when he fired me, and berated me in the news, he ended my career," said Maxwell.
When further questioned by state prosecutor Dick DeGuerin, he revealed his reasoning behind suing Paxton.
"I did so because he ended my career in a very unjust manner," he said.
Maxwell then said he was threatened.
"I knew then what [Paxton's] commitment was to Nate Paul, and he would not be deterred in trying to do things which would benefit Nate Paul," he said.
He went on to tell DeGuerin that he gave fair warning to Paxton.
"I told him that Nate Paul was a criminal and was running a Ponzi scheme...and that if he did not get himself away from this individual, and stop doing what he was doing, that he was going to get himself indicted," said Maxwell.
The Paxton defense team got their chance on cross examination, where Dan Cogdell began ripping into the testimony. Among the almost two hours of questioning was Cogdell saying that Paxton's desire to investigate search warrants, executed at his office in August, was legal, which Maxwell said he believed was a crime.
But, in probably the highlight of cross examination, Cogdell and Maxwell got into it when Cogdell repeatedly has to ask about Maxwell's reputation for 'teaching how to testify.'
"Why is it that every time I ask if you have taught folks to testify...you suddenly cannot hear the question?" said Cogdell.
"Actually my testifying...I learned by experience," replied Maxwell.
"Okay...and is that one of the things you have learned? To pause and act like you have not heard the question?" asked Cogdell.
"Maybe," said Maxwell, to which Cogdell chuckled and replied, "fair enough."